East Tennessee State University (ETSU) student and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) candidate Q Karmue launches the non-profit organization “Save More Kids”, during his MFA exhibition "Witness". The public is invited to join the artist’s reception on February 16, Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Tipton Gallery.

The exhibition is an integral element Q. Karmue’s MFA thesis documenting his pre-adolescent survival of, and eventual escape from, a brutal civil war in the West African country of Liberia. Karmue’s Masters thesis is set to become the introduction to his book, WITNESS, his first-hand account of the devastating effects of war, written from a child’s point of view.

The SaveMoreKids non profit organization was formed to provide assistance to children who have been subjected to extreme conditions such as war, sexual abuse, abandonment, and child labor. According to Karmue, the mission of the “Save More Kids” is to “document their story, witness the atrocities they’ve faced, and with the help of the local and national communities, provide them with an opportunity and a chance to change the course of their future.” During the exhibit reception, Karmue has invited two children from Liberia who will give their personal testimonials regarding their experiences of war that have rendered them parentless.

The Tipton Gallery is located at 126 Spring Street, Downtown Johnson City, TN. Gallery hours are Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m., Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. with extended hours during First Fridays, receptions and by appointment. To schedule a visit, contact gallery director Karlota I. Contreras-Koterbay via email contrera@etsu.edu or call 423.483.3179. To learn more about the SaveMoreKids non-profit organization, please contact Edwina McGill via email info@savemorekids.org or call 843-364-2965 | 423-788-4456 . You may also visit www.savemorekids.org.